Women in Engineering day offers Kent girls a chance to think about their futures

Jane Mahler

Kent is a place beyond limits–students here gain various opportunities and experiences in different fields to explore their passions. Most recently, three Kent girls attended the 3rd annual Women in Engineering day at University of Connecticut.

This program is a great chance for high school girls to learn how to get into highly competitive engineering programs and how to be successful in their respective fields. Dr. Nadire summarized the necessity of these programs: “engineering is accessible. It’s something you should put in your agenda. Although nowadays everyone is yelling and screaming that we need more female engineers, sometimes it’s better to hear the message and the stories from professionals.”

Programs like this are vital for students who wish to further investigate their interests and will assist them in choosing schools during the college process. By exposing students to such experiences, Kent helps them explore different fields, discover new passions, and choose a career path. Without these opportunities, students would be have no idea how to choose majors and programs that suit them well.

Dr. Nadire, head of the engineering program, dedicates himself to finding new and exciting programs. When asked why these experiences are important, Dr. Nadire responds,  “parents tend to tell their children engineering is good, but [that’s] not enough. You need to hear ideas from other parties. These ideas, I think, will have more weight on the students.”

Without committed teachers like Dr. Nadire and programs like the Women in Engineering day, Kent students would never get the privilege to gain amazing experiences and useful advice from people who have been in the same boat as them. Seeing that you are not the first and will not be the last to suffer the stress of choosing a career makes it much easier for students to make decisions that will change the course of their lives.